FREMONT - Fremont City Council approved three community development block grant applications Thursday night, as the city seeks a total of $720,000 from the state on several infrastructure projects.

Linda Amos, principal owner of Poggemeyer Design Group, said the grants are from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the state.

Buy Photo

Fremont City Council approved three community development block applications Thursday at its regular meeting.(Photo: Molly Corfman/The News-Messenger)

The grants are geared toward downtown revitalization, improvements at Rodger Young Park, and street, sewer and waterline improvements on Garrison Street.

Amos' firm helped the city put together the grant applications, which have to be submitted to the state by July 14.

"It's money that's there. If you don't ask for it, you don't get it," Amos said.

The city applied for a two-year, $150,000 Community Development Block Grant allocation program grant. The bulk of that grant would go toward work at Rodger Young Park, including bathroom upgrades and improvements in handicapped accessibility.

The grant also would go toward building a new shelter house at the park, making sidewalk improvements and putting roofs over some of the dugouts

The CDBG downtown revitalization grant is being applied for by the city on behalf of Downtown Fremont, Inc.

The city is applying for $270,000 for the revitalization grant. The grant funding could be used for selected improvement projects by downtown business owners.

Amos said Downtown Fremont, Inc. had secured 27 letters of commitment from private property owners that want to make improvements on their downtown buildings.

The critical infrastructure grant on Garrison Street is for $300,000 and would be applied for storm sewer, sanitary sewer, waterline and street improvements on Garrison, between Wayne Street and Park Avenue.

Amos said the city wants to widen Garrison Street by 25-to-30 feet, replace curbs, and replace a brick sewer line from 1880 with a 12-inch sanitary sewer line.

The city also is looking to improve fire hydrant pressure on the street and reduce basement flooding in the area.

Mayor Danny Sanchez said the city is looking at additional funding options for its planned infrastructure projects on Garrison Street and Rawson Avenue.

"We don't want to have to do half-a-road at a time," Sanchez said.

The state will announce CDBG awards in September. Amos said cities that are awarded grants would get the funds in 2018 and have two years to spend the money on projects.